Corrugated fiberboard containers have been used for many years as shipping and storage containers for a large variety of products. Corrugated fiberboard generally refers to a multi-layer sheet material comprised of sheets of liner bonded to central corrugated layers of medium. Single-wall corrugated involves two sheets of liner bonded on alternate sides of one corrugated medium while double-wall corrugated involves three liners bonded alternatively to two corrugated mediums. Corrugated fiberboard containers may vary greatly in size and weight depending on the intended usage of the container.
The bottoms of existing single-piece containers are typically comprised of several flaps, each of which extends from a respective side of the container. The flaps are then attached to one another using an adhesive or other suitable means of attachment to form the bottom. The resulting “interrupted” bottom includes holes that may allow for the contents of the container—particularly liquid contents—to escape from the container. Additionally, the interrupted bottom is often prone to snagging and/or tearing a plastic liner that may be contained within the container. The interrupted bottom is also prone to being accidentally opened, or “blown-out,” thereby unintentionally releasing the contents of the container.
The distribution of products in large containers is common in a wide variety of industries, ranging from automotive to food. Corrugated semi-bulk containers (“CBCs”) are examples of containers common in the meat industry for storing and shipping beef, pork, and other animal products between processing facilities and from those processing facilities to customers.
Existing CBCs typically include a liner generally made of plastic (e.g., a “poly bag”) inside of the CBC to assist in preventing leakage of fluids into the external environment or into the walls of the container, thereby weakening the container. The incorporation of poly bags into CBCs and other such containers is often associated with substantial labor and costs. Moreover, the generally leak-proof nature of such poly bags is often such that the poly bags are not easily biodegradable and can be undesirable from an environmental standpoint.
It would be desirable to create a container that addresses one or more of the above-described disadvantages.